Means for sterilizing flush type toilet bowls



J- D- KIRWAN MEANS FOR STERILIZING FLUSH TYPE TOILET BOWLS Aug. 23, 1949.,

Filed Feb. 20, 1947 Patented Aug. 23, 1949 MEANS FOR STERILIZHNG FLUSH TYPE TOILET BOWLS John D. Kirwan, Bloomfield, N. J.

Application February 20, 1947, Serial No. 729,864

Claims.

This invention relates to means for sterilizing flush type toilet bowls; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to novel means for automatically delivering a charge of disinfectant into the toilet bowl subsequent to the flushing of the bowl and renewal of the normal water content thereof.

The invention has for an object to provide, in combination with the flushing water storage reservoir or tank by which a flush type toilet bowl is served, means to contain a supply of a sterilizing or disinfecting agent, and cooperative means for discharging a modicum of such agent into the bowl after the latter has been flushed and its normal water content renewed;

water into the flushing water storage reservoir or tank, whereby to refill the latter after a toilet bowl flushing operation.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, which is a vertical sectional view of the flushing water storage reservoir or tank of a flush type toilet bowl, the same being equipped with the automatic disinfectant dispensing means according to this invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character I indicates the flushing water storage reservoir or tank of a flush type toilet bowl, the bowl being omitted. The bottom of the reservoir or tank I is provided with the usual tripable valve means for controlling discharge of flushing water from the reservoir or tank to the toilet bowl. Said valve means comprises a valve body 2 having an axial valve passage 3. Said valve body is provided at its upper open end, coaxial with the passage 2, with a valve seat- 4. The lower end portion of said valve body extends through the bottom wall of the reservoir or tank I, and suitably coupled thereto. for communication with the passage 3 thereof, is the conduit or pipe 5 which delivers flushing water from the reservoir or tank to and for flushing passage through the toilet bowl, all in manner already familiar to the art. Said valve passage 3 is normally closed by the usual buoyant valve member 6 which is suspended by its stem i from the lift link 8 which is dependent from a pivoted trip lever 9, the latter being subject to control by manipulatable means (not shown) externally mounted on the reservoir or tank I, also in manner already familsaid discharging means being automatically activated by inflow of iar to the art. Connected with the valve body 2, so as to communicate with the discharge passage 3 thereof at a point below the intake end which is normally closed by the valve member 6, is an overflow pipe l0., Said overflow pipe [0 extends upwardly through the interior of the reservoir or tank I, so that its upper open end terminates somewhat above the normal level ll of the body of flushing water [2 which is normally supplied to and stored within the reservoir or tank I.

Extending into the interior of the reservoir or tank I is a water service pipe l3 which leads from a city main or other water supply or source. Connected with the inner end of said service pipe I3 is a valve casing I4 having an intake port l5 adapted to be closed by a shut-off valve 1 6. Said shut-off valve I6 is of the float controlledtype, being operated by lever mechanism ll provided with a float l8. Said float I8 is adapted to be buoyed up by the water content of the reservoir or tank I so as to actuate the lever mechanism I? in direction to move the shut-01f valve l6 into closed relation to the intake port l5, when filling of the reservoir or tank by admitted water is completed. Gravitation of said float, I 8 upon discharge of water from the reservoir or tank is operative to actuate the lever mechanism I! in direction to open said shut-off valve I6 for admission of refilling water from the service pipe l3. Connected with the lower end of said valve casing M, to lead downwardly from the valve discharge side of the interior thereof into and so as to communicate with the interior of the reservoir or tank I is a water outlet pipe l9, the lower open end of which preferably terminates adja cent to bottom of said reservoir or tank.

Arranged within the upper portion of the interior of the flushing water reservoir or tank I is a sterilizing agent container 20 which is closed at its upperend by a detachable cover member 2 l. Preferably, said container 20 is provided with a screw-threaded neck portion 22 upon which said cover member 2| is screwed. Said container is suitably supported within the reservoir or tank I, preferably by means of a suspension hook means 23 which is aflixed to the cover member, and the bill of which is engaged over the top edge of a wall of said reservoir or tank I. Said cover member is suitably formed to provide a perpendicular inlet passage 24. Connected with the cover member 2|, so as to communicate with the outer end of said inlet passage 24, is an elbowed intake nipple 25. Also connected with the cover member 2|, so as to communicate with the inner End Of said inlet passage 24, is a dependent duct member 26 which is disposed to extend into and terminate within the interior of the upper portion of the container at a predetermined but substantial distance below the top end thereof. Provided within the cover member 2|, to lead outwardly from the inlet passage 24 thereof, is a lateral outlet passage 21, which terminates at its outer end in an external nipple 28. Connected with the upper end of the water admission valve casing [4, to lead outwardly from the valve discharge side of the interior thereof, is a water delivery conduit 29 which is suitably shaped to extend to the upper interior of the reservoir or tank I and thence toward the sterilizing agent container 20. Said water conduit is preferably made of rigid piping, and terminates at its free end in a downturned end portion which is directed toward the bottom of the reservoir or tank I. Connected between the end portion 30 of said water delivery conduit 29 and the intake nipple 25 of the sterilizing agent container, is a communicating goose-neck connection 3| which is formed intermediate its ends to provide a U- shaped section or dependent trap loop portion 32. Said goose-neck connection 3| may be made of rigid or flexible tubing or pipe, and may conveniently comprise a section of flexible hose. said goose-neck connection 3| is adapted to deliver a portion of the supply water, which is admitted through the water admission valve l4-- 15-16 whenrefilling the reservoir or tank I after a toilet bowl flushing operation, to the interior of the sterilizing agent container 20 through the inlet passage 24 and duct member 25. Connected with the nipple 28, so as to lead from the outlet passage 2! of the sterilizing agent container 20, is a discharge pipe or tube 33, which extends to and so as to enter downwardly through the upper open end of the overflow pipe in of the reservoir or tank I and into the interior of said overflow ipe. said discharge pipe or tube 33 may also be made of rigid or flexible tubing or pipe, and may conveniently comprise a section of flexible hose. The outlet end of said discharge pipe or tubefssrnust be disposed at a level which is substantially below the level of the open lower end of the duct member 26 as located within the upper interior portion or the sterilizing agent container 20. Such relative disposition of the duct member 26 and the discharge pipe or tube 33, the passages of which are communicatin'giy interconnected by the outlet passage 21 of the container 20, forms a discharge siphon means betweenthe. upper interior portion of said container 20 and the interior of the overflow pipe in of the reservoir or tank i, wherein the duct membar 26 constitutes the intake arm of said siphon means and the discharge pipe or tube 33 the discharge arm of said siphon means.

The cover member 2! of the sterilizing agent container 20 i rovided with an air vent passage or aperture .34 which is open to the atmosphere. The container'20 is supplied with a solid body of a suitable soluble sterilizing or disinfecting agent, which is, however, of relatively low solubility in water. 7

I In the operation of the sterilizing apparatus, a modicum of the sterilizing agent 35 within the container 20 will be dissolved by the normal initial water content of the latter, until said watercontent is saturated therewith, thus temporarily suspending dissolution of said solid agent. The water content of the container 20, by this process, is converted into a disinfecting or sterilizing solution. Under these conditions,

4 which constitute the normal conditions when the reservoir or tank I stands filled with a supply of toilet bowl flushing water I2, when the valve member 6 is lifted to open the flushing water discharge passage 3 of the reservoir or tank I, the water content of the reservoir or tank will be discharged to and for flushing passage through the toilet bowl. Such discharge of flushing water from the reservoir or tank 1 allows the float I8 to drop, and, through the connecting lever mechanism I I, to thereby open the valve l5 so that refilling supply water from the service pipe l3 will be delivered through the valve body 14 and outlet pipe Iii into the interior of the reservoir or tank I. A portion of the supply water will simultaneously pass from the valve body [4 through the delivery conduit 29, goose-neck connection 3|, intake nipple 25, inlet passage 24 and duct member 26 into the interior of the sterilizing agent container 28, so as to entirely fill the latter above its normal liquid level as established by the position of the lower open end. of the duct member 26, under the conditions subsequently set forth. The air within the container 20 above said normal liquid level will be displaced by the ingoing supply water and discharged to the atmosphere through the air vent 34. Some of the water delivered via the delivery conduit 29 and gooseneck connection 3| will also be caused to flow by way of the outlet passage 21 to and through the discharge pipe or siphon arm 33, so that the latter is kept full during the period of supply water flow. In the meantime, valve member 6 has again dropped upon the seat 3 of valve body 2 so as to close passage 3 against discharge of water from the reservoir or tank into the toilet bowl. By the time the refilling water delivered into the reservoir or tank I regains its normal filled level II, and the water admission valve l il 5-! 6 is again closed, not only has the flushing of the toilet bowl been completed and normal standing water conditions in the bowl resumed, but delivery of additional or fresh water to fill the sterilizing agent or container 20 has also been completed. The additional water supplied to the container 20 will somewhat dilute the disinfecting or sterilizing solution which has formed in said container, but not to an extent which unduly impairs its disinfecting or sterilizing eflicacy. After the water admission valve MI 5-H; closes, water in the discharge pipe or siphon arm 33 will continue outflow therefrom, and will thereby incite a siphonic action in the duct member or intake siphon arm 26 and connecting outlet passage 21, which operates to draw oil the formed disinfecting or sterilizing solution which fills the upper interior portion of the container 20, whereby to discharge said solution into the overflow pipe I 0, and thence into the toilet bowl which has, prior thereto, been flushed, and by this time regained its normal standing water content, so that said standing water content of the toilet bowl and consequently the toilet bowl itself will be sterilized by the solution thus delivered thereinto. As the sterilizing solution is displaced from the upper interior of the container 20 by discharge through the aforesaid siphon means, replacing air will be drawn into the top of the container through the air vent passage 34. The s'iphonic discharge of the sterilizing solution from the container 20 will continue until the level of said solution within the latter falls slightly below the intake end of the duct member or intake siphon arm 26, thus admitting air into the siphon forming passages so as to break the siphonic obvious.

discharge of disinfectingor sterilizingsolution action and interruptdischarge of the solution. The above described cycle ofoperation isrepeated eachtime the toiletbowlis-fiushed, as willbe It will alsobe obvious that the incited to the toilet bowlis automatically induced each time the reservoir or tank I is discharged and the refilling supply water admission valve -means thereupon opened.

The-provision of the traploop portion 32 in the line of' the supplyof water delivery to-the tainer 26 will have received the necessary supply of additional water before siphonic discharge of the sterilizing solution occurs. As a consequence of this, the sterilizing solution is not delivered to the toilet bowl until after flushing action ceases,

and therefore is subject to no risk of premature,

loss during the current flushing-action, but stays with the standing water in the bowl until a subsequent flushing action is initiated.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a flush water storage reservoir for a flushv type toilet bowl, said reservoir having a supply water admission valve and flushing water discharge means including an overflow pipe, a sterilizing solution container provided with a supply water inlet passage extending downwardly into the container from the top thereof, a discharge passage leading from the intermediate portion of the said inlet passage into the overflow pipe to a point beneath the level of the lower end of the inlet passage, said discharge passage being adapted to form with the lower portion of said inlet passage a sterilizing solution discharge siphon, a conduit connecting said supply water admission valve with the upper end of the inlet passage to deliver a portion of said supply water, for outward flow through said discharge passage,

whereby, when water admission valve closes and flow through said conduit is arrested, discharge of sterilizing solution from said container through said siphon will be initiated.

2. In a flushing water storage reservoir for a flush type toilet bowl, said-reservoir having-a supply water admission valve and flushing water discharge means including an overfiowpipe, a sterilizing solution container provided with a supply water inlet passage extending downwardly into the container from the top thereof, a discharge passage means leading from the intermediate portion of the said inlet passage into the overflow pipe to a point beneath the level of the lower end of the inlet passage, said dischargepassage being adapted to form with the lower portion of said inlet passage a sterilizing solution discharge siphon, a conduitconnecting said'supply water admission valve with the upper end of the inlet passage to deliver a portion of said supply water for outward flow through said discharge passage whereby, when said water admission valve closes and flow through said conduit isarrested, discharge of sterilizing solution iromsaidcontainer "through said siphon will beinitiated, said conduit I including atrap loop portion interme'diateits ends.

3. In a'fiushing water storage reservoir for a flush type toilet bowl, said reservoir having a supply water admission valve and flushing water discharge means including an 'overflow'pipe, a

sterilizing solution container supported within the reservoir, a cover "for said container, said cover having-an inlet passage terminating in aduct member depending from said cover withinithe upper interior portion of said container, said cover having an outlet passage leading outwardly from-said inlet passage, a discharge tube leading I'fr'oni said outlet passage into said overflow pipe, the free end of said discharge tube lying'ln'a plane spaced. substantially below the plane of the loweren'cl' of said duct member, whereby said discharge tube and duct member respectively form intake and discharge arms of a sterilizing solution discharge siphon, means to provide air communication between said container and the atmosphere, and a conduit connected between said "supply water admission valve and said inlet passage, whereby to delivera portion of said supply water for-outward ilow'through said discharge tube effective, when said water admission valve closes and flow through said conduit is arrested, :to initiate discharge of sterilizing solution from said container through said siphon.

4. In a flushing water storage reservoir for a fiushtype toil t bowl, said reservoir having a supply water admission valve and flushing water discharge means including an overflow pipe, 'a

sterilizing solution container supported within the reservoir, a cover for saidcontainer, said *cover-having an inlet passage terminating in a duct member depending from said cover within the upper interior portion ofsaid container, said cover having an outlet passage leading outwardly fromsaid inlet passage, a discharge tube leading from said outlet passage into said overflow pipe, the free end of said discharge tube lying in a plane spaced substantially below the plane ofthe lowerend of said duct member, whereby said discharge tube and duct member respectivelyform intakeand discharge arms of a sterilizing solutiondischarge siphon, means to provide air communicationbetween said container and the atmosphere, and a conduit connected between said :supply water admission valve and said inlet passage, whereby to deliver a portion of saidsu-pply water for outward flow through said discharge tube effective, when said water admission valve closes and flow through said conduit is arrested, to initiate discharge of sterilizing solution through said siphon, said conduit having .a traploop portion intermediate its ends.

5. In combination, a flushing water storage reservoir by which a flush type toilet bowlis served, manually co-ntrolled'means for discharging flushing water from the reservoir to the toilet bowlincluding an overflow pipe within the reservoir connected for direct discharge to the toilet bowl, a valve means for admitting supply water .to the reservoina container for a soluble ster mission means to and for communication with said overflow pipe, said water discharge'means being cooperative with the inner end portion of said water admission means to. effect siphonic discharge ofv sterilizing solution from the container through said overflow pipe to the toilet .bowl,-,anda conduit means connectedbetween said reservoir supply water admission valve means and said water admission passage ofsaid container, whereby to deliver a portion of said supply water for flow through the container water admission and discharge passages and into said container interiorso as to raise the level of sterilizing solution within the latter subject. to siphonic discharge after said reservoir supply water admission valve means closes and flow through said conduit is arrested.

6. In combination, a flushing water storage .reservoirby which a flush type toilet bowl is served, manually controlled means for discharging flushing water from the reservoir to the toilet bowl including an overflow pipe within the reservoir connected for direct discharge to the toilet bowl, a valve means {or admitting supply water .to the reservoir, a container for a soluble sterilizing agent supported within the reservoir, means to provide a water admission passage lead ing into said container and terminating within the upper interior thereof so as to establish a normal water mass in the lower portion-thereof in which the sterilizing agent is submerged subject to dissolution to form a sterilizing solution,

means to provide a water discharge passage leading from an intermediate point in said'water admission means to and for communication with said overflow pipe, said water discharge means being cooperative with the inner end portion of said water admission means to effect siphonic discharge of sterilizing solution from the containerthrough said overflow pipe to the toilet bowl, and a, conduit means connected between said reservoir supply water admission valve means and said Water admission passage of said container, whereby to deliver a portion oi'said supply water for flow through the container water admission and discharge passages and into said container interior so as to raise the level of sterilizing solution within the latter subject'to' siphonic discharge after said reservoir supply water admission valve means closes and flow through said conduit is arrested, said conduit intermediadmitting supply water to the reservoir, a container for'asoluble sterilizing agent supported within the reservoir, a cover member for said container, said cover member having an inlet passage terminating in a duct member dependent from said cover member within the upper interior portion of said container, the lower end of-said duct member being adapted to determine the level of a normalwater mass in the lower portion of said container in which the sterilizing agent is submerged subject to dissolution to form a sterilizing solution, said cover member having an outlet passage leading laterally outward from said inlet passage, a discharge tube leading from said outlet passage into said overflow pipe, the

, free end of said discharge tube lying in a plane spaced substantially below the plane of the lower end of said duct member, means to provide air communication between the interior of said container and the atmosphere, and a conduit connected between said reservoir supply water admission valve and said container inlet passage,

whereby to deliver a portionoi said supply water for outward flow through said outlet passage and discharge tube and simultaneous flow into said container so as to raise the level of sterilizing solution within the latter subject to siphonic discharge through said duct member, outlet passage and discharge tube after said supply water admission valve closes and flow through said conduit is arrested.

8. In combination, a flushing water storage reservoir by which a flush type toilet bowl is served, manually controlled means for discharging flushing water from the reservoir to the toilet bowl including an overflow pipe within the reservoir connected for direct discharge to the toilet bowl, a float controlled valve means for admitting supply water to the reservoir, a container fora soluble sterilizing agent supported within the reservoir, a cover member for said container, said cover member having an inlet passage terminating in a duct member dependent from said covermember within the upper interior portion of said container, the lower end of said duct member being adapted to determine the level of a normal water mass in the lower portion of said container in which the sterilizing agent is submerged subject to dissolution to form a sterilizing solution, said cover member having an outlet passage leading laterally outward from said inlet passagaa discharge tube leading from said outlet passage into said overflow pipe, the free end of saiddischarge tube lying in a plane spaced substantially below the plane of the lower end of said duct member, means to provide air com munication between the interior of said container and the atmosphere, and a conduit connected between said reservoir supply water admission. valve and said container inlet passage, whereby to deliver a portion of said supply water for outward flow through said outlet passage and discharge tube andslmultaneous flow into said container so as to raise the level of sterilizing solution within the latter subiect to siphonic discharge through said duct member, outlet passage and discharge tube after said supply water admission valve closes and flow through said conduit is arrested, said conduit including a trap loop portion intermediate its ends.

tion thereof beneath the duct member in which water-soluble disinfectant may be submerged subject to dissolution to form a sterilizing so ution, and a discharge tube communicating with the said inlet passage and extending exteriorly of the container and downwardly to a level beneath that of the lower end of the duct member whereby a siphon is constituted by the duct member, the inlet passage and the discharge tube,

the exterior portion of the discharge tube being adapted for insertion into the overflow pipe of the storage tank.

10. A sterilizing device for the water storage tank of a flush type toilet bowl, which comprises a disinfectant container adapted to be installed inside such a tank and having an air vent to the atmosphere and a water inlet passage in the top thereof, a duct member communicating with the said inlet passage and depending therefrom inside the container to a predetermined level to direct incoming water toward the bottom of the container and to establish a normal water mass in the lower portion thereof beneath the duct member in which water-soluble disinfectant may be submerged subject to dissolution to form a sterilizing solution, a discharge tube communieating with the said water inlet passage and extending exteriorly of the container and downwardly to a level beneath that of the lower end REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,170,387 Andrews Feb. 1, 1916 2,345,284 Myers et a1 Mar. 28, 1944 

